How to Add a Trendline in Google Sheets

Sanskar Tiwari

Author: Sanskar Tiwari

Founder at MagicSlides

Published

Learn how to add and customize trendlines in Google Sheets to analyze and visualize data trends

How to Add a Trendline in Google Sheets

Adding a trendline to your data in Google Sheets is a powerful way to visualize trends and patterns in your dataset.
Trendlines can help you understand the overall direction of your data and are particularly useful when working with scatter plots or line graphs.
Whether you're analyzing sales data, stock prices, or any other numerical dataset, a trendline will provide a clear indication of the general trend.
In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of adding a trendline in Google Sheets step-by-step.

Step-by-Step: How to Add a Trendline in Google Sheets

Step 1: Prepare Your Data

Start by entering your data into Google Sheets. Ensure that the data is organized in two columns: one for the x-axis (independent variable) and one for the y-axis (dependent variable).
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Step 2: Insert a Chart

Highlight the data you want to graph.
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Click on Insert in the menu and select Chart. Google Sheets will automatically generate a chart based on your data.
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Step 3: Change Chart Type to Scatter Plot

  • In the Chart Editor (right side), under the Setup tab, change the chart type to Scatter Chart if it’s not already.
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  • This will ensure that you can add a trendline to your graph.

Step 4: Add a Trendline

  • Once the chart is created, click on the chart to open the Chart Editor.
  • Go to the Customize tab in the Chart Editor.
  • Scroll down and click on Series.
  • Check the box next to Trendline. This will add a default trendline to your scatter plot.

Step 5: Customize Your Trendline

  • You can further customize the trendline under the Trendline section, such as choosing a linear, exponential, or polynomial trendline.
  • You can also change the color, line style, and thickness to make it more visually appealing.

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Conclusion

Adding a trendline in Google Sheets helps to better visualize data patterns and predict future trends.
It's a useful tool for analyzing relationships between variables and making data-driven decisions.
Whether you choose a linear or more complex trendline, the process is simple and straightforward, ensuring that your data insights are clear and easy to understand.

FAQs are here to help!

What types of trendlines can I add in Google Sheets?

You can add linear, exponential, and polynomial trendlines to your charts.

How can I remove the trendline from a chart?

To remove the trendline, simply uncheck the Trendline box in the Chart Editor under the Series section.

Can I change the color of the trendline?

Yes, you can customize the color, thickness, and style of the trendline in the Trendline section of the Chart Editor.

Can I use trendlines for other chart types besides scatter plots?

Trendlines are typically used with scatter plots or line charts, as they best represent the relationship between data points.

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